Venison with Onion Gravy

While this sounds like one of those lengthy, overnight/multiday recipes, it is actually something that cooks up quick (dinner can be ready in less than 20 minutes) but tastes like a slow cooked meal.  The rich and meaty dish pairs well with a salad of baby greens or some lightly steamed broccoli. 

You'll need the following:

• 2-3 lb venison thigh roast
• 1/4 cup of tallow
• 1/4 cup of spelt flour
• 1 cup of beef stock
• 1 large onion
• Tallow for frying

1)  In a small sauce pan, heat the tallow and stir in the spelt flour to make a roux.  Stir this constantly until it is the color of chocolate.  Be sure to stir out any lumps of flour to ensure that all of the flour is cooked in the fat.  Once the roux reaches a nice dark color, pour the stock into the pot and whisk rapidly to make a smooth gravy.  Bring this to a boil, stirring often, and then turn down the heat to very low.

2)  French the onion into thin slices and put in a pan with hot tallow.  Fry gently over medium heat to soften and slightly caramelize the onion slices.

 

Soft, flavorful, but not overcooked onion

3)  Add the onion to the gravy and stir in thoroughly.  Simmer this for as long as your heart is content on the stove to continue cooking down the onion and incorporating the flavors of the gravy.

Yum...very beefy already

4)  Meanwhile, place your roast on a cutting board and identify the grain.  Cut the roast into 1/4" thick slices against the grain.  In the same pan that you cooked the onions, fry the venison slices in batches and set in a warmed serving dish.

The grain should be fairly obvious

5)  Spoon the gravy over the plated slices of venison and enjoy.

Something is missing, though...something green, perhaps